GARDEN CITY — Nassau County employees will receive more wage protection in the event of a second wage freeze, under legislation Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently signed into law.
The legislation (S.8805/A. 10670) allows Nassau County employees to receive a step increase if the Nassau Interim Finance Authority (NIFA), a control board that oversees the county’s finances, imposes a second wage freeze. CSEA strongly supported the bill and worked for its passage.
“This legislation helps alleviate some financial hardship on Nassau County employees should NIFA ever freeze wages again,” CSEA President Danny Donohue said.
Many collective bargaining agreements include wage schedules that require employees to work for a certain number of years before reaching the top level of pay for a job grade.
In 2011, NIFA froze wages and step increases for thousands of county employees, including our members. The loss of step payment increases led to retention and morale issues, as well as severe financial hardship among Nassau County employees. In 2014, NIFA reinstated the step increases at the strong urging of CSEA and other unions.
“There were new hires that started their positions and were stuck [at the starting rate]for three years because of the wage freeze,” CSEA Nassau County Local President Jerry Laricchiuta said. “Reinstating step increases helped our new members; you can’t live on Long Island [at some of the starting wage rates]. Some of our members left their positions because of low-paying wages.”
Despite the reinstatement, the uncertainty over future wages has led to employee recruitment and retention issues. Critical areas such as child protective services and emergency dispatch services are finding it more difficult to recruit new employees.
To help ease the uncertainty and retain highly qualified workers, CSEA worked with other Nassau County unions to urge its passage, first with the state legislature and eventually with the governor.
In early November, the governor signed the legislation, which will allow the county to continue to build its fiscal footing while allowing workers and county services some stability.
“I appreciate the governor’s pro-union stance,” Laricchiuta said. “He’s good for the middle class and he’s good for the working people.”
— Wendi Bowie
